Tell Me, Pirate
by unpredictablemary
Summary: A grumpy, cursed Hook. A flirtatious, playful Emma. A very angry witch. A three-part tale of true love's kiss. Set post-3x18.
1. Chapter 1

"What do you want for a snack?"

"Um… I don't know. A cookie?"

"Coming right up!" Emma screwed her eyes shut and twisted her hand. One of the cookies from the case on the counter appeared on a plate before her. She smiled. She twisted her hand again and it appeared on the table in front of Hook.

"I am getting so good at this," Emma said.

"Very nice, love." Hook moved the plate off his book and went back to reading. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Fine, I'll eat it then." She magicked the cookie off the plate and into her hand and took a bite.

Hook finally looked up. "That _is_ the fifth dessert in an hour," he said, suppressing a smile. That eyebrow went up. "Can you send me things I don't have to eat?"

Emma laughed. "I guess there are limitations of practicing in a diner."

They were in Granny's again, Hook with a book at the table and Emma practicing magic. She loved that he kept her company while she studied, doing his own "homework" too even though he didn't have to. It had become a routine the last few days, once Henry was in bed and Granny had closed up, and for a couple of hours in the dark café with no Henry to worry about, no one watching them, no Zelena, Emma felt like she could fully be herself. Even if Hook had been in a mood the last few days. He was still here, at least. That was what she kept telling herself. He could've gone. He was still here.

"I have to start practicing the transformation spells, anyway," Emma said, putting the cookie back down on the plate. She sat with it for a while, first just making it break into pieces and come back together, then changing the chocolate chips into M&Ms and things like that. Regina had said to start small.

After a while, Emma sat down next to Hook and pulled her book across the table. Regina had lent it to her to help with the magical history stuff. Emma put her feet up on the other side of the booth and settled in next to Hook, opening her book. He didn't look up, but just turned a page of his own book. They sat there in silence reading for a few minutes.

"Don't you wish life could be like this all the time?" The words came out of Emma's mouth before she thought about them. She felt Hook inhale sharply and she froze. "I mean, you know, just hanging out, without a Peter Pan or Wicked Witch to worry about. Just being normal. Like having a normal life."

"Right," Hook said tensely.

Emma closed her eyes. That turned out to be a bad idea, because an image of her and Hook in this same position but in bed, reading together, swam into her mind. _Don't you wish life could be like this all the time. _Emma swallowed hard and opened her eyes, firmly training them on her book.

"But we do have a witch to worry about," Hook said after a minute. He pointed to her book. "That's what you're doing right now. This _isn't_ normal. It's why you're learning magic, it's why any of us is here in the first place."

"Really?" Emma turned to face him, suddenly feeling challenging. "That's why you're here?"

"Aye, that's why I came to find you," Hook muttered, looking back at his book.

"And that's why you've stuck around this whole time? At risk to your own life when you don't have to be here? You just care so much about defeating the Wicked Witch, which _you_ can't even do. Mr. Moral Support, is that why you're here?"

"Not now, Emma," Hook said. His fingers went to the corner of his page, but he didn't turn it. Emma grabbed the book from his hand and snapped it closed.

"I don't know what's going on with you lately, Hook, and I want to. Tell me."

"Emma."

"I said tell me!"

He glanced up at her, raising an eyebrow. "I'm just out of sorts, love. A little stressed out. Not that I can imagine why any of us would be."

They glared at each other. Then Emma sighed.

"Fine, then," she said. "So it's coming to this? I can play your game, Killian Jones." She shifted on the bench so she was on her knees and facing him, and she placed a hand on his thigh. She leaned over him, slowly running the hand higher. "Tell me, pirate," she whispered. She raised a finger towards his lips.

"No!" Hook said harshly, grabbing her hand and forcing it away from his face.

"Whoa." Emma sat back, staring at him. Hook put a hand over his eyes. Both of them were breathing hard.

"It would be best… if you didn't get too close to me," Hook finally said in a strained voice.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"

"I'm serious, Emma! More serious than you know."

Emma unfolded her knees and sat back down, staring at him. "Hook, you have to tell me-"

"It's nothing," Hook muttered, looking away.

"Hook. For the entire time I've known you I have never known you to tell me—or women in general, for that matter—not to get too close to you. More like, 'nothing can be too close, love,'" she waggled her head in an exaggerated imitation of him. She stared at him. "Wow, no laugh? Seriously, Hook, you're starting to freak me out. You've been acting this way for days."

"It's nothing," Hook said again. Suddenly he got up, forcing her out of the booth. He looked at her for a split second. "Go home, Emma."

The bell on Granny's door jingled as she stared after him.

* * *

Hook escaped into the night air and began walking towards the dock. His chest was heaving, his heart pounding, and he bent over for a second, pressing his hands into his face.

"_Damn!" _He stomped a foot and looked around at the empty street. Damn that wicked witch, damn his infatuation, his weakness, damn Emma for the way she'd put her hand on his leg like she was going to seduce him, like she meant it, and damn her for the image he had in his head now of her on her knees above him, biting her lip and raising her hand to his mouth…

"Hook!"

He heard the yell behind him and closed his eyes, a sigh dropping out. He'd been expecting it, really.

"Killian!"

He turned swiftly and strode the distance between them. "Hush!" he said, grabbing hold of her wrist. "Are you mad?"

Emma looked at him. "Don't walk away from me, then!"

Hook shook his head, looking away. He dropped her wrist. "Good night, Swan."

"Wait." She grabbed the back of his coat. "We're doing this now. Tell me what's wrong."

"Do you ever listen to anyone? Could you possibly try to trust me enough to know that I have good reason for not talking to you about this right now? Or do you always think you know best?"

Emma stared at him, her mouth open. She blinked. "Okay, fine, then. Have it your way."

"Emma," Hook whispered. "I just—you have no idea the danger you're putting us in. Please, love, go."

"Danger? Wait a second, does this have to do with Zelena?" Emma asked incredulously. She grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at her. "Hook!"

"Go home, Emma," Hook said without meeting her eyes. He turned and began walking away.

"No! I can't let you go! Not—alone, like this! Not if you're in danger!"

Hook stopped and turned around. "It's you who's in danger, love." His voice cracked. "Please go home."

"Something's going on. Did she get to you?" He didn't answer. "I don't like you being alone when there's danger," Emma said. She sighed, crossing her arms self-consciously. "Everyone else is together. Come stay with us tonight."

"Oh no," Hook said with something resembling a laugh. "I will not be staying in the same quarters as you."

Emma shook her head, holding his gaze. "You are so frustrating, pirate."

"Emma." Against his better judgment, Hook reached out and took her hand. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then trust me," he whispered. "Please." His voice nearly broke on the last word. As he looked into her eyes, he was afraid his own might fill with tears. "Please, Emma."

She blinked at him, and for a moment they were caught in their gaze. Then there was the distant noise of a car door slamming and Hook remembered that they were in the middle of the street, highly vulnerable and standing far too close together to be safe. He dropped her hand.

"Good night, Swan."

He swept away before Emma could say anything.

* * *

Hook had finally fallen asleep when he became conscious of the bed shifting, and the presence something warm behind him. He jerked up, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

"Hey," Emma whispered. "It's me. Go back to sleep."

He felt fingers on his cheek, stroking his face, and a moment later her whole body was pressed against his, just lightly.

"Emma, you have to go."

"I'm not going, so there's no use in arguing with me. I'm here. It's safe. Go to sleep."

"I wasn't sleeping," Hook said sleepily.

"Yes, you were. Shhh." Gently, experimentally, Emma touched her hand to his upper arm and slowly rubbed it. She tried not to think about the muscles under her fingers or the fact that he was shirtless. "Shh."

Hook was quiet for a moment. Emma waited. He let out a frustrated sigh.

"Emma, you shouldn't—"

"Killian," she cut him off. She rested her chin in the crook of his neck. She took a breath. "I'm scared, too."

At this whisper, she heard his breath catch, then felt his body relax under hers. His hand found hers and he laced their fingers together. A very involuntary sigh escaped Emma's lips. She slid back down to lie flat and curled her legs against his.

"Good night, pirate," she whispered.

* * *

_Couldn't get them out of my head after the last two eps! I'd love to hear your thoughts! Second installment coming very soon._


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello everyone! So part two got a little long and I decided to split it into two chapters. So the good news is you have one more to look forward to after this! Enjoy xx_

* * *

Hook woke up gradually, slowly—peacefully. He was very comfortable. He hadn't had such a good sleep in a long while. He growled and started to stretch, and realized someone's body was pressed against his.

Emma's. Hook's eyes snapped open. Her body was molded around his back, her arm draped over his side and a leg in between his. Their fingers were very loosely intertwined at his chest. A jolt shot through Hook's body.

Gods.

This was what he had dreamed about, yearned for, for what felt like forever. Waking up next to Emma... This was heaven. It was unbelievable. And he couldn't enjoy it. He couldn't act on it. He couldn't even think about it, he realized quickly, or he would risk doing something dangerous. He slowly, painfully extricated his fingers from hers.

"Emma."

"Mm." Emma shifted.

"Emma," he whispered more loudly.

Emma blinked. She raised her arm off of him and rubbed her eyes. "Good morning."

Hook couldn't help but chuckle. "Good morning, love." He put his head back down on the pillow, glad he was facing away from her (for more than one reason). This was so much more than he'd bargained for. And so dangerous given the circumstances. He clenched his fists. He wouldn't let himself get anywhere near her mouth.

His greeting sent a sizzle through Emma. She swallowed. She let her eyes rest on the back of his neck, his hair, the top of his shoulder. Could she get used to this? She thought she could.

There was a pause. "Love? Do you think you could possibly move your… lower region just a little farther away from mine?"

"Sorry," Emma said, scooting back to put a few inches between them. She cast around for something to say. She hadn't really thought about what it would be like in the morning when she'd come over here last night. But then his request struck her as very funny, and she dissolved into laughter.

"Stop laughing!" Hook said, turning to look at her.

"I'm sorry!" Emma giggled. "I just… You have to admit it's funny."

He grunted.

"Kind of funny," she coaxed. She laughed again, and then she felt him start to shake too. Their eyes met, and Emma buried her face in the pillow.

"I'm sorry," she said again.

"It's all right."

Emma rolled over onto her back and looked at the ceiling. Hook followed suit.

"Why did you come last night?" Hook said after a few minutes.

Emma turned her head, reaching up to press the pillow down next to her cheek to she could see him. Her messy hair fanned out on her shoulder. Hook looked away.

"I guess I was worried about you," Emma said. She studied his profile. "Are you mad?"

He looked back at her. "No."

Emma smiled, turning back to the ceiling. She was overwhelmed by the desire to hold his hand, but she kept her arms pressed against her chest.

Suddenly Hook laughed. "Do you remember when you left me to die on the beanstalk?"

"I didn't leave you to _die_!" Emma laughed. "God, you're so dramatic."

"Handcuffing me in a giant's lair at the top of a magical beanstalk wasn't dramatic?"

She shrugged. "I didn't know if I could trust you. I told you then, you would've done the same."

He turned his head on the pillow to look at her. "And look how far we've come."

Emma bit back a smile at this tiny sign of flirtation. "Now that sounds more like the Hook I know."

It was the wrong thing to say. He looked away and then sat up. Emma had to force her eyes away from his naked chest._ Don't you wish life could be like this all the time._

"Hey." She sat up and grabbed his wrist.

"How about a ground rule here, love? No touching."

Hook stood up and began looking for his clothes. Emma stared at him.

"No touching?"

"Aye."

"What are we, seventh-graders? In case you didn't notice, we just slept in the same bed. I think we were touching."

Hook pressed his lips together, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Aye, and it was dangerous."

"Okay, I wasn't going to ask again, but you're practically begging me to. What the hell is going on?"

Hook shut his eyes. How could he push her away? How could he tell her to get away from him when the feeling of sleeping next to her was the best thing he'd ever experienced? How could he get mad at her when he was immeasurably touched by the fact that she'd come?

"Is there some reason not to touch you?" Emma asked. "Does it have to do with the danger you were talking about? It doesn't seem like anything bad happened when I did."

"Don't touch me with your lips. How about that? Okay?" Hook turned away.

Emma got out of bed, staring at him. "Don't touch you with my—"

"And that's not a challenge," Hook interrupted with a look of warning. He sighed, dropping his eyes to the ground. "You're my weakness, Emma. Don't you see?"

Emma searched his face with an intense frown. After a moment, she took a breath. "Okay."

"Okay?"

She nodded. "Breakfast at Granny's?"

He looked at her. "Okay."

* * *

Emma was quiet during breakfast, even after Henry and her parents showed up. They were surprised to see her there with Hook, but she told them she'd just slipped out of the house early.

She was on high alert, and she could tell Hook was tense, too. Emma's mind was whirring, trying to put this puzzle together without all the pieces. Zelena had done something to Hook that scared him, or at the very least threatened him. But it seemed to have something to do with her, Emma. With her… lips. She couldn't figure that part out.

Hook had been paranoid as they'd left the boat this morning, looking around and ushering Emma off the dock as quickly as possible. Now Emma felt that same paranoia creeping up on her. If Zelena wanted something to do with her and Hook, and one of her spying monkeys had seen them leaving Hook's boat in the morning… well, she knew what it would look like they'd been doing. But still, why did that matter?

"I think I'll be off," Hook said as soon as they had cleared the breakfast dishes. "I'll meet up with you all later at Regina's."

"Bye," Mary Margaret said.

"See ya, Killian," Henry said.

Emma frowned at him. "See ya."

Hook gave her a long look, a troubled one, biting his lip. Emma stared at him. Was he trying to convey something to her?

"Bye," he muttered, and left.

Emma turned back to the table. Snow was staring at her. Emma shook her head. _It's nothing, _she mouthed. Her mother raised her eyebrows as she looked away. Emma could practically hear her voice. _It didn't look like nothing._

It wasn't nothing. But what was it?

* * *

Hook had spent the entire day wandering, trying to think of some way out of this. He'd gone through the forest as far as the bridge and back. He'd eaten lunch at Granny's after everyone else had already left the diner. He'd even stopped in to see Belle in Gold's shop, although he thought he'd left them both more discouraged than when he'd gone in. Darkness was beginning to fall as he strode toward the dock. He'd told Emma he'd meet them at Regina's, but he didn't want to go there until he had a plan. Maybe he couldn't come up with one, but Emma was getting suspicious, and Hook was afraid that without a plan, he'd spill about the curse.

Besides, he was craving the sea air. Gods, how he missed the Jolly Roger. He sat down on a bench when he reached the dock, looking out at the boats bobbing in their slips.

"Well done, pirate."

Hook jumped a foot in the air. The voice was behind him, but in an instant Zelena appeared on the bench next to him.

"I didn't think you had it in you," she purred. "But I saw you two leaving your boat this morning. Well done. I knew you could seduce a woman."

Hook just stared at her, a hard look in his eyes.

"It'll be tonight," Zelena said casually, studying her fingernails. "That gives you a little time to get in your final kisses. Since you can now."

She laughed, and Hook wanted to strangle her. He squeezed his fists as tight as he could, knowing any move he made, no matter how fast he was, would end in his death, not hers.

"I might spare you at the end of all this, you know," Zelena said. She reached out and grabbed his chin with her hand, forcing his face toward hers. "I think you'd be… entertaining to have around." She slowly licked her lower lip.

Hook clenched his jaw, staring at her with an expression of utter hatred. He had never despised anyone this much, not even Rumplestiltskin. _Don't lose control, don't lose control. _He hated feeling this powerless.

Zelena shrugged when he said nothing. "Say your goodbyes," she said. "You have half an hour."

* * *

_Thank you for the reviews, faves and follows! Part three coming soon..._


	3. Chapter 3

_I really wanted to post this before the new episode, but I wasn't home yesterday and I had late class tonight, which meant I didn't post it AND I haven't watched the episode yet! So here it is as soon as I could get it to you. Enjoy!_

* * *

"But what about the lips? It has something to do with lips," Emma said.

She paced back and forth, hands on her hips. She had been preoccupied all afternoon trying to figure out what was going on with Hook, a little to her parents' annoyance. She had been going in circles all day.

"There could be a perfectly reasonable explanation," David said. "Maybe Hook just didn't want you to touch him."

Emma gave him a look. "I know you're my dad, but come _on_."

"But maybe he… I mean, you know, Emma," Mary Margaret said. "He's kind of in love with you and you haven't exactly been returning the sentiment. Maybe he just couldn't handle you being so close without being... together."

"No. Zelena did something to him. I've never seen him scared like that."

"Well, what, she cursed him? I think he would've told us!"

"Not if she told him he couldn't," Emma returned. "What if she did curse him? Or me? Oh my god, do you think she cursed me? My lips? If they touch Hook something bad will happen?" She put a hand to her mouth and started pacing again.

"I've never heard of a curse like that," David said.

"Emma, he loves you," Mary Margaret said in a soothing voice. "He would tell you if something was going on."

"He doesn't _love_—"

"Yes, he does," both her parents said at once.

Emma stopped and stared at them. "It's just the way he is, it's a thing we have. You know, flirting and whatever. I'm not an idiot, I know how he acts with me, but he's— he's _Hook_, that's how he is!"

"Emma. He loves you."

Emma looked back and forth between the two of them. She knew it was true. She had known it forever, hadn't she? It was almost a given now. Everyone in Storybrooke knew it. Emma just didn't like putting that word to it. _Love_. She knew she shouldn't feel surprised or shocked to hear them say it, but she just hadn't allowed herself to think those words before. _He loves you. _

And thinking of it like that led her to the question she didn't want to answer, the question she'd been resisting for so long. Did she love him?

Her traitorous mind summoned the image of her climbing into his bed in the middle of the night because she was worried about him, pressing up next to him until she felt safe. Of waking up holding his hand. Of the way he said good morning.

"Oh, my god," Emma said. "Ohmygod."

She stumbled backwards into a chair, gripping the table for balance. Her head was spinning. She pressed her hand over her mouth.

"I mean, we kind of thought you knew, Emma, is it really a surprise?"

"No. It's not that," Emma said. "It's—I know what I have to do."

* * *

They burst into Granny's at the exact same time, Hook through the back door and Emma through the front.

"Hook, thank god!"

"Emma!" They ran to each other and met in the middle of the room. Everyone in the restaurant looked up with alarm.

"Where have you been?"

Hook was panting. "Emma, she's coming."

Emma's eyes widened, then her mouth formed a thin line. "I thought she might be."

"You did?"

"It's okay," Emma said. "I'm ready."

"But you're not—you don't understand—"

"No, I think I do. Don't worry."

Hook grabbed her wrist. "Emma, she thinks you're powerless. Listen to me. You have to defeat her, now. Take her by surprise before she figures it out. And I have to get out of here. She can't see us together."

"Hook—"

"Swan, listen to me. You have to be ready for her. I have to go." His face was tortured as he looked at her, his fingers still gripping her wrist. "Emma- Emma, I lo—"

The door flew open with a bang.

"Good evening, everyone!" Zelena cackled, surveying the crowd in the diner. "Nice night, isn't it? I thought you all might be missing me."

Hook had immediately moved to block Emma, but Emma, with a squeeze of his arm, stepped in front of him.

"Hello, Zelena."

"Just the person I wanted to see! Just the two people I wanted to see, actually." Zelena waved a hand at Hook. She took a few steps into the diner and looked around. "But where's my darling sister?"

"She's not here right now," Emma said. "But why don't you and I just get this over with, witch? Outside, now."

There were a few gasps from the townspeople.

"Emma, no!" Grumpy burst out from the corner.

But Emma kept her eyes on Zelena. "What's the matter? Scared?"

Zelena let out an ugly laugh. "Certainly not."

"Emma," Hook whispered. Why was she goading her?

Emma stepped closer. "Well then?"

"Mmm… How about one last kiss first?" Zelena said, waving her hand at the pair of them. "I want to see it."

"Me and Hook?" Emma said.

"Emma, no," Hook muttered through clenched teeth.

"Of course," Zelena said. "It's not like it's the first time, is it?"

Emma shrugged. "Guess not."

"I don't think you'd be surprising anyone in this room. We've all seen the way he looks at you."

That got Emma, but she wouldn't let anything break her cool façade. Instead, she turned to Hook.

"How about it, pirate?"

"Emma, don't," Hook said. Why was she acting this way?

"It's fine," Emma whispered.

"No, it isn't," Hook said, nearly begging. "You don't know, Emma, please."

"Shh," Emma said, as she had said the night before when she crawled into his bed. She slid a hand up his neck to the back of his head and drew him close. He was stiff, resistant, his breathing ragged. Emma could hear the loud silence of everyone watching, everyone terrified, but she couldn't think about them. Only Hook.

She closed her eyes, letting images of him fill her mind—of climbing the beanstalk together, of his helping them in Neverland, of their kiss, of him playing with Henry, of waking up next to him this morning. Emma opened her eyes. She saw terror in his, and tears.

"Trust me," she breathed against his mouth, and then she kissed him. She took his top lip between hers, gently, and lingered there. Her heart was pounding—what if it didn't work?—but after a moment she felt a pulse, and she grinned against his lips.

She felt the magic flood her, felt a surge of strength, and she captured his lips again, one more time, just in case, because she loved the way they tasted and she didn't know why she'd wasted so much time and she _loved him_—and then she pulled away and looked back at Zelena.

"Well? Happy now, Zelena?"

"Oh, very," the witch laughed. "Well, why don't we do this thing, Emma? You and me, right now, like you said. I'll even give you opening shot." She spread her arms out wide and beckoned Emma with both hands. "Come and get me."

Emma gave her a single shake of the head, a small smile forming on her mouth. "You asked for it."

Before anyone could blink, a blast of light shot out of Emma's hands and knocked Zelena flat on her back.

"What? I—I—what?" Zelena sputtered, looking around as she struggled to sit up.

"Stay right there, witch," Emma said, and zapped her legs frozen. She walked over to Zelena and squatted above her so she could look her in the eye. "True love, Zelena. It's what people like you never count on."

"True… _love_?" Zelena said, rage replacing incredulity on her face.

Emma shrugged with a smile. "Breaks any curse."

"You _love _him?"

Emma looked over her shoulder at Hook, who was standing in the middle of the diner, looking dumbstruck under the fluorescent lights. She gave him a smile and turned back to Zelena.

"Of course I do."

"You… NO!" Zelena screamed. With another yell, she broke the freezing spell. She started to clamber to her feet, but a blast of light shot at her from the side and she was on her back again.

"Not so fast, bitch."

Emma spun around to see Regina standing in the doorway, a look of hatred on her face and her arms outstretched. But Emma barely had time to smile thanks at the other woman before Zelena was getting up again. Emma blasted her, but Zelena blocked it.

"You stupid girl!" Zelena screamed, shooting a spell back. Regina blocked it as Emma threw a new one. Furious flashes of light flew across the room as the three of them began to battle.

Before, they had been sadly outmatched by Zelena. Now, Emma knew what she was doing, and together, she and Regina were stronger than Zelena. New fury at Zelena from the knowledge that her theory had been right, that Zelena had tried to use Hook to get to her, flooded Emma, and she felt new strength from the kiss, too. It had done the opposite of what Zelena had hoped. Emma had never felt so alive, never felt so much like herself as she battled the wicked woman. Emma could feel her power coursing through her, warm and strong and undefeatable. She could feel the magic, but it felt a lot like love.

Emma was panting, unable to think about anything but the magic shooting out her hands. She could somehow sense Regina's moves, and they were so in sync it was almost as if they were working with one mind. Somewhere, Emma was dimly aware of everyone watching, of the gasps and breaking glass and the snarl on Zelena's face, but the battle consumed her. They were going to finish this once and for all.

Zelena stumbled before shooting a blast of fire at them, which Regina put out before it reached them. Zelena was getting weaker. Regina raised her arms and shot a blue light out of them. Zelena dodged it. Regina tried again.

"No!" Zelena screamed. "You won't win, Regina!"

"But I will," Regina snarled, and she threw the curse again.

It met Zelena's spell in the air. The curses hit each other, creating a glowing mass where they met, sparking as each woman tried to force the other spell back. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as the sisters' magic met. They pushed against each other, Regina just barely winning as she held Zelena's spell off.

"Finish her, Emma!" Regina shouted.

But Emma already had her eyes closed, summoning the emotion for the magic. She thought of Hook, thought of them and the future, thought suddenly of his ship and the ocean, and with a great surge of effort the spell came blasting from her hands before she even knew what form it would take.

A violent wave of water headed straight for Zelena and engulfed her. With a crash, it hit the floor, taking her down with it, roiling as if it were a sea in a storm. It roared, sending up an angry spray.

"No!" Zelena screamed, sinking as the wave swallowed her. "No! No!" Her voice got smaller and smaller as the wave resolved itself into a roaring whirlpool. A mass of black and green swirled in the center as the pool spun in the middle of the floor, faster and faster, and then it was swallowed up into nothingness. She was gone.

Emma stared at the spot on the floor, breathing hard. The diner was absolutely silent for a beat.

"She's dead!" someone cried.

"The witch is dead!"

"Emma, you did it!"

There were shouts and cries all around her; Emma could hear Regina's gasp, she could hear Mary Margaret and David's tearful exclamations, but she turned to the pirate behind her, grabbed him by the coat and kissed him. Hook lifted her off the ground, pressing his lips fiercely to hers.

"I love you, Emma Swan," he said when he set her back down. He grinned at her, his arms tightening around her waist.

Emma smiled. "You might've already figured this out, but I love you too."

"How did you know?"

"I figured it out."

He was laughing. "I can't believe you figured it out."

"I hate to interrupt this happy moment, but would you mind telling the rest of us what exactly you figured out?"

Emma turned, rolling her eyes, but instead of the expression of annoyance she was expecting, she saw on Regina's face the proudest look she'd ever seen the woman wear. Regina's arms were crossed, but she was grinning.

Emma grinned back, and the two women started to walk toward each other. "Thank you, Regina."

The queen shrugged. "You did it by yourself. I told you you could."

Emma gave her a look. "We did it together. And you taught me how."

Regina appeared to struggle with her words for a minute, and then she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, screw it," she said, and pulled Emma into a hug. Emma laughed as she wrapped her arms around Regina and they swayed back and forth for a minute, both laughing, both near to crying, and then Emma felt other arms around her and her mother's face pressed to her cheek, and David's arms, and suddenly the entire town was crowding around, hugging and whooping. Grumpy started chanting Emma's name and everyone else took it up until she was laughing and begging them to stop.

As she glanced up, Emma saw Hook leaning against the counter, watching everyone. There was a small smile on his face. Emma met his eyes with a knowing smile. She jerked her head at him, and with a little laugh he walked over to her, to join the crowd. Emma squeezed his hand.

"But what happened?" Belle asked. "What was all that stuff with the kiss?"

Emma started to explain how she had figured it out—that Zelena had cursed either her lips or his, that Hook had said Zelena thought she was powerless, and when Zelena had asked them to kiss, it had confirmed Emma's theory—that their kiss was supposed to weaken her somehow, or defeat them.

"Whatever the curse was, I figured true love would break it. But I still don't know what exactly she did to Hook," Emma said.

"She… she tricked me into swearing on your name when she was pretending to be Ariel, and then she cursed my lips so that kissing you would strip you of your magic power," Hook said. "She told me if I didn't do it, or if I told you, she would start killing people in the town. When she saw us… ah, together this morning, she assumed I'd done it. That's why she came tonight. I think she was planning on getting you out of the way before carrying out the rest of her evil plan."

"But Emma knew better," Mary Margaret said, gazing up at her daughter with a look of proud adoration. "True love always wins."

"Okay, okay," Emma said, shoving her hands in her back pockets. "Why don't we celebrate? How about some drinks, Granny? For everyone!"

"Coming right up!" Granny called, scurrying behind the counter. She and Ruby started filling pints and passing them around.

"To Emma— and Regina!" Grumpy yelled when everyone had one.

"To Emma and Regina!" The room echoed, glasses in the air.

Emma felt tears filling her eyes as she looked around at everyone. Before she took a drink, she looked at Hook.

"To us," she whispered, clinking her glass against his.

* * *

The party lasted long into the night, loud and raucous. Emma didn't think she'd ever seen Storybrooke like this. Regina and Robin were leaning against the wall in the corner. Belle and Gold, who had shown up not long after, had reunited tearfully and were nestled in a booth in the back. David and Mary Margaret had disappeared for a little while and returned with Henry, telling him it was just a party, and they had left a few minutes ago to take him home to bed. Emma herself was leaning against Hook in their usual booth as just about everyone in the room took turns talking to her. Hook had been quiet, but his presence was comforting. As happy and relieved as she was, though, Emma wanted to be alone with him. She was exhausted, and she wanted to talk.

When there was a break in the receiving line, Emma turned against his shoulder and looked at him. "You want to get out of here?"

"If you do," Hook said.

"I do. Let's not make a scene about it, though." She grabbed his hand and they slipped out the back. No one noticed, or if they did, they didn't say anything.

The two of them walked quietly for a few minutes, heading towards the water.

"I can't believe you did that," Hook finally said.

"Why not? I knew the curse would break."

He looked at her. "Were you really that sure?"

Emma sighed. "No. I wasn't. Not at first. I hoped to hell I was right." She glanced over at him.

"But you believed in our love enough to do it. Enough to risk losing your power—enough to risk this entire town, your son. You were that confident in us." Hook slowed to a stop, and Emma turned to face him. There was a fire burning in his eyes like she had never seen.

"I guess I was," she said softly. She allowed her lips to tip up in a smile. "Wouldn't you have been?"

"Aye, but I never… I never knew, Emma. That you truly felt the same way."

She couldn't look away from his eyes. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She looked away and back at him.

"I think I always did," she finally said. "And I never knew either."

Hook grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, pressing his mouth to hers in a fierce kiss. Emma wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him desperately, in a way she'd only dreamed about. She didn't care about how it looked. She didn't care about her old fears. More than one battle had been finished tonight. She was all in.

When they broke apart, Hook pulled back and looked at her with a wondrous expression on his face. He gently tucked back a lock of her hair with his hook. He couldn't seem to stop smiling.

"What?" Emma laughed.

"Just... you figured it out," Hook said. "I didn't have to tell you."

"Your hints helped. And true love is kind of the trump card. Once I realized… It didn't matter what the curse was. The kiss would break it."

"But to figure that out you had to know you were in love with yours truly. Which I'd wager was harder for you than figuring out what Zelena's curse was." Hook cocked an eyebrow, looking at her in that way that only he could.

Emma laughed and hit him on the chest. "Shut up."

"When did you know? Have you been holding out on me?" His tone was flirtatious, but he was serious, too. He didn't want this moment to get lost in the drama of the day. She loved him. Emma Swan loved him, and she was admitting it.

Emma dropped her gaze. "I don't know," she said. "It was something Mary Margaret said about you loving me this morning. Suddenly it all just clicked. Everything added up, and I... I knew," she said, her eyebrow going up the way it did when she was particularly earnest.

Hook could see a flicker of fear behind that carefully maintained confidence as she met his eyes. He swept his fingers through her hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead. A tiny smile turned up his lips.

"You saved us," he said quietly.

Emma looked into his eyes. Words like this were usually hard for her, but she wanted to say them tonight.

"We saved us," she said quietly. "And you saved me. I never did thank you for bringing me back to Storybrooke. For my memories. For... everything."

"Oh, Swan." Hook brushed his lips against hers. Emma returned the tiny kiss, feeling tears welling up behind her eyes. Hook tugged on her lower lip, then his tongue swept across it, and they became lost in the bliss of each other. Emma moaned against his mouth as she wrapped her arms around him. Could this be real? No villain, no evil, just Storybrooke, this insane town that she had grown to call home, and Hook, and all the things they could finally say.

After a long time, Hook's lips made his way to her ear. "Let's go home."

Emma pulled back to look at him. "Are you going to protest if I try to get in your bed again tonight?"

Hook laughed, a rich, happy sound. He tightened his arms around her waist. "I would protest if you didn't."

A spark flew between them, and Emma held his eyes. She was so certain of what she wanted, so happy—so free. She swallowed as she realized what it was: the first time she'd felt free in a very, very long time.

She smiled at Hook. "Then let's go."

_The End_

* * *

_For now, anyway... I have really loved writing this story and am open to continuing in some way, but I don't know where I would take it at the moment. Feel free to send requests/prompts in your reviews (or message me) and maybe something will strike my fancy! In the meantime, thank you so much for the reviews/faves/follows, I am so glad people liked this story!_


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